Disc apparatus

Abstract: A disc apparatus comprises a stationary chassis. First and second rack members each having a tooth part are provided on said stationary chassis so as to be movable in a direction of movement of a loader. A guide pin is provided on said first rack member and a guide hole formed in said second rack member. Said guide pin passes through said guide hole and is coupled at one end to said loader. Spring retainers are provided respectively on said first and second rack members. A spring bridges between said spring retainers and a gear meshes with the tooth part of said second rack member, and couples to a drive gear train.

Description: The present invention relates to a disc apparatus for reproducing and writing data on a data recording disc in a photomagnetic recording type minidisc cartridge. Disc cartridges in which a data recording disc is housed in a protecting cartridge (which will hereinbelow be denoted simply as the "cartridge") have been proposed. A photomagnetic recording type minidisc cartridge as one example of this kind of cartridge, is shown in Fig. 11. The cartridge 100 incorporates a cartridge casing 101, a data recording disc 102 housed in the cartridge casing 101, a disc access hole 103 formed in one side of the cartridge casing 101, and a slide shutter 104 for opening and closing the disc access hole. Further, cartridge gripping recesses 105 are formed at the left and right sides on the front side of the rear surface of the cartridge casing 101, and a longitudinal groove 106 is formed in the right end face of the cartridge casing 101 and receives a shutter engaging member (which is not shown) in its intermediate part. The shutter engaging member is urged toward the groove 106 by a spring (which is not shown), that is, it can be retracted. Further, the shutter engaging member is linked to the above-mentioned slide shutter 104. Further, in this disc apparatus, as shown in Figs. 12a to 12c, a loader shift mechanism has a rack member 120 on which a loader 109 is mounted, and a gear 122 meshed with a rack tooth part 121 of the rack member 120 and coupled to a pinion of a drive motor through the intermediary of a drive gear train. Further, when the gear 122 is rotated through the drive gear train, the rack member 120 which is meshed with the gear 122 through the rack tooth part 121 thereof, is moved, and accordingly the loader 109 is shifted. Such a loader shift mechanism is disclosed in EP-A-0 539 199. However, the above-mentioned apparatus suffers a problem, in which a space having a long length D as shown in Fig. 12c is required in order to shift the loader 109 by a distance L since the rack member 120 is a single integral component. Further, an external force exerted on the rack member 120 or the loader 109, is inevitably transmitted to the gear 122 through the drive gear train, and accordingly, there has been a problem of occurrence of damage to the gear 122 or the like. The present invention is devised in view of this problem, and accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a disc apparatus which can decrease the space required for shifting the loader, and can also prevent gears in the drive part from being damaged. In order to achieve this, according to the present invention, there is provided a disc recording/reproducing apparatus comprising a stationary chassis, a first rack member and a second rack member each having a tooth part and provided on the stationary chassis so as to be movable in a shifting direction of a loader, guide pins provided on the first rack member, guide holes formed in the second rack member, the guide pins being inserted through the guide holes and the first rack member being coupled at one end to the loader, spring retaining part, a gear coupled to a drive gear train and, in operation, successively meshing with the tooth parts of the first and second rack members. With this arrangement, when the gear is rotated by means of the gear train, the second rack member having the tooth part meshed with the gear is moved in one of the shifting directions of the loader, the guide pin is pushed by one end part of the guide hole formed in the second rack member so that the loader is moved in the one of the loader shifting directions. In this case, the first rack member is moved in the one of the loader shifting direction in association with the shifting of the loader. Further, when the gear comes to one end of the tooth part of the second rack member, the gear is then meshed with the tooth part of the first rack member. Further, when the gear leaves off the tooth part of the second rack member so that it is engaged with only the tooth part of the first rack member, the first rack member is moved in one of the loader shifting directions. As a result, the loader is moved in one of the loader shifting directions by means of the guide pin. Thus, when the gear is rotated, the second rack member is fed so as to shift the loader, and thereafter, only the first rack member is fed so as to move the loader without the second rack member being fed, and accordingly, a necessary space for feeding the loader can be made small in comparison with that of the conventional arrangement in which the loader is shifted by a single integral rack member. Further, since the first and second rack members are coupled together by the spring, if an external force is exerted to the first rack member or the loader in a condition in which the gear is meshed with the second rack member, the first rack member is moved, only causing an extension of the spring, and accordingly, the external force can be prevented from being transmitted to the drive gear train through the gear, thereby it is possible to avoid damaging the gears or the like. The present invention will be more readily understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an essential part of a disc apparatus according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the disc apparatus from which a part of an upper stationary chassis is eliminated; Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the disc apparatus; Fig. 4a is a perspective view illustrating the disc apparatus in a cartridge loading condition; Fig. 4b is a perspective view illustrating the disc apparatus in a cartridge loading condition; Fig. 4c is a perspective view illustrating the disc apparatus just before the completion of cartridge loading; Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a holder in the disc apparatus; Fig. 6a is a plan view illustrating the holder in a condition in which a shutter of a disc cartridge is opening; Fig. 6b is a plan view illustrating the holder in a condition in which the shutter of a disc cartridge is half opened; Fig. 6c is a plan view illustrating the holder in a condition in which the slide shutter of the disc cartridge is closed; Fig. 6d is a view illustrating the holder as viewed in the direction VI D in Fig. 6a; Fig. 7a is a right side view illustrating an essential part of a disc apparatus according to the present invention; Figs. 7b to 7d are side views showing steps of releasing a mechanical lock mechanism from a lock condition; Figs. 8a to 8e are views for explaining the steps of releasing the mechanical lock mechanism from the lock condition; Fig. 9a is a side view illustrating an essential part of a loader shifting mechanism of the disc apparatus; Figs. 9b and 9c are views for explaining first and second rack members in the loader shifting mechanism; Figs. 10a to 10c are views illustrating principle operation of the first and second rack members in the loading shifting mechanism; Figs. 11a to 11c are views for explaining a loader shifting mechanism in a conventional disc apparatus. Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, a disc apparatus includes a main chassis 1 as a stationary chassis, a suspension chassis 2 as a movable chassis, and an upper chassis 3 as a stationary chassis. The above-mentioned chassis 1 is a rectangular frame body having a front surface part la with a cut-out formed therein defining a cartridge insertion opening 4. Damper attachment parts 5 are provided at left, right and rear sides of the main chassis 1, and cut-out parts 26, 26a are formed in left and right side parts 6a, 6b and a rear side part 6c of the main chassis 1 at positions opposing the damper attachment parts 5. Further, spring retainers 7 are formed at four corner parts of the main chassis 1. Further, a double insertion preventing lever 13 is provided in the cartridge insertion opening 4, which is movable more or less in a vertical direction. Further, a mechanical lock mechanism A is attached to each of the left and right side parts 6a, 6b of the main chassis 1. The mechanical lock mechanism A has front and rear lock members 8, 9 which are formed at their front parts with lock parts 10, 11 having guide parts 12 converging toward their center locking recesses 10a, 11a, and a vertically elongated hole 18 is formed in the rear lock member 9. Further, the front and rear lock members 8, 9 are attached to horizontal guide holes 14, 15 formed in the right side part 6b by means of pins 16, 17 so as to be movable back and forth. A lever 19 is rotatably attached at its intermediate position to the right side part 6b of the main chassis 1 by means of a fulcrum pin 20. The front end part of the lever 19 is coupled to the rear end part of a connecting rod 21 by a pin 22. The front end part of the connecting rod 21 is coupled to the rear end part of the above-mentioned lock member 7 by a pin 23. Further, a guide pin 24 is attached to the rear end part of the lever 19, and is inserted in the elongated hole 18 and the cut-out part 26 so as to be movable therein. Further, an actuating pin 25 is attached to the front end part of the lever 19, protecting inwardly of the main chassis 1. The above-mentioned suspension chassis 2 incorporates at its four corner parts spring retainers 27, and springs 28 are provided bridging between the spring retainers 27 and spring retainers 7 of the main chassis 1 so that the suspension chassis 2 is supported on the main chassis 1 in a floating condition. Further, dampers 29 are interposed between the suspension chassis 2 and the main chassis 1. Damper bodies 29a of these dampers 29 are fixed to the damper attaching parts 5 on the main chassis 1. Further, lock pins 30, 31 are fixed at the front and rear parts of the left and right surface parts 2a, 2b of the suspension chassis 2, the front lock pin 30 being located in the cut-out parts 26a and in front of the lock part 10 of the lock member 8 and the rear lock pin 31 being located in the cut-out part 26 and at the rear of the lock part 11 of the lock member 9. It should be noted that this condition is a lock released condition. A turntable (which is not shown) is located in the center part of the suspension chassis 2. Further, an optical pick-up (which is not shown) is located in a stamped part (which is not shown) which is formed in the suspension chassis 2 at a position to the right side of the turntable. The optical pick-up is moved right and left (radially of a disc) by means of a screw feed mechanism. A mechanism including a drive motor for the turntable is provided on the rear side of the suspension chassis 2. Holder guide parts 34, 35 are formed in the left and right surface parts 2a, 2b of the suspension chassis, as shown in Fig. 4a. The left holder guide part 34 is composed of linear guide hole 36 extending between the front and rear parts of the left surface part 2a, and a descending hole 37 directed downward from the rear end part of the guide hole 36. Further, the right holder guide part 35 is composed of a linear guide hole 38 extending between the front and rear parts of the right surface part 2b, a descending guide hole 39 directed downward from an intermediate part of the guide hole 38, a descending guide hole 40 directed downward from the rear end part of the guide hole 38, and a slide guide member 41 laid along the right surface part 2b and having a resiliency. Further, a stopper 60 which prevents the shutter opener 49 from moving rearwards, is located at the right side of the rear part of the suspension chassis 2. A holder 43 is provided in the suspension chassis 2, being held by the holder guide parts in the left and right surface parts 2a, 2b so as to be movable back and forth. That is, an inverted U-shaped in cross-section holding part 44 is formed in the left side part of the holder 43, as shown in Fig. 5, and the end face of the holding part 44 is defined by the left surface part 44a of the holder 43, and the right surface part 44b of the holder is bent at a right angle so as to form a right surface part 44b. Further, a holder pin 42 is attached to the front part of the left surface part 44a of the holder 43, and two holder pins 45a, 45b are attached to the right surface part 44b thereof. Further, cartridge gripping hooks 46 are attached to the left and right parts of the rear surface of the holder 43 by means pins 47 so as to be swingable left and right, at positions in the front part, and are urged toward the center of the holder 43 by means of springs 48. Left and right cartridge receiving parts 62 are formed in the surface part of the holder 43. A shutter opener 49 is attached to the left side part of the holder 43 thus arranged, so as to be movable back and forth. That is, the shutter opener 49 has an upper surface part 49a adapted to slide at the left side part of the holder 43, and an outside surface part 49b, and a longitudinal slide hole 50 is formed in the upper surface part 49a. Holding pins 51a, 51b which also serve as pins for releasing the shutter closing springs, are inserted in the slide hole 50, and hold the shutter opener 49. An inside surface part 52 and a horizontal surface part 53 are formed, as shown in Figs. 6a and 6d, in the front part of the shutter opener 49, and an opening 54 is formed in the inside surface part 52. The front end parts of the inside surface part 52 and the horizontal surface part 53 are opened to the outside, the inside surface part 52 and the horizontal surface part 53 of the shutter opener 49, and the left holding part 44 of the holder 43 defining a cartridge insertion part 58 in which an opening and closing door 59 is operably provided. Further, a shutter locking and releasing pawl 55 is provided in the intermediate part of the shutter opener 55. Further, the base part 56a of the shutter closing spring 56 is fixed to the inside of the outside surface part 49b of the shutter opener 49, and the shutter closing spring 56 is bent inward, having its front end part formed with an engaging part 56b which has a curved v-like shape as seen in plan view. The engaging part 56b is projected into the cartridge insertion part 58 through the opening 54. Further, a stopper 57 is formed in the rear end part of the shutter opener 49, and the front holding pin 51a constitutes an escape mechanism for retracting the engaging part 56b of the shutter closing spring 56 from the cartridge insertion part 58 through the opening 54. Further, the holder 43 attached thereto with the shutter opener 49 as mentioned above, is supported on the suspension chassis 2, the left guide pin 42 being inserted movably in the guide hole 38 of the holder guide part 34 in the left surface part 2a of the suspension chassis 2, and the right front guide pin 45a being inserted movably in the guide hole 38 of the holder guide part 35 in the right surface part 2b of the suspension chassis 2 while being made in sliding contact with the lower surface of the slide guide member 40, and the right rear guide pin 45b being inserted movably in the guide hole 38 of the holder guide part 35 in the right surface part 2b of the suspension chassis 2 while being in sliding contact with the upper surface of the slide guide member 40. A loader guide 65 is longitudinally secured to the left side of the rear surface of the upper surface part of the upper chassis 3, as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 9a, and a longitudinal guide hole 66 is formed in the loader guide 65. A crosswise guide hole 67 is formed in the rear part of the upper surface of the upper chassis 3. A loader 68 and a loader shifting mechanism C for reciprocating the loader 68 are provided on the rear surface of the upper chassis 3. The loader 68 incorporates, at the left and right sides of its surface part 68a, left and right surface parts 70, 71 which are bent at right angles to the surface part 68a, the right surface part 70 being formed at its front and rear ends with the holder pin engaging parts 72, 73, and its intermediate position with a lock pin engaging part 74 as a pin actuating means. Further, the holder engaging parts 72, 73 have engaging pieces 72a, 73a which are projected forward. The left surface part 70 is formed at its front end with a holder pin engaging part similar to the holder pin engaging part 72, and is formed at its intermediate position with a lock pin engaging part similar to the lock pin engaging part 74. The lock pin engaging part 74 has an engaging piece 74a which is projected rearward and obliquely downward from the lower edge of the right surface part 71, and a pin insertion recess 74b which is extended upward from the lower edge of the right surface part 71. A crosswise guide hole 68b is formed on the right side of the rear part of the upper surface part 68a of the loader 68. Further, the front end part of a link 78 is attached to the left rear end part of the upper surface part 68a of the loader 68 by a pin 79, as shown in Fig. 2. A guide pin 80 provided in the rear end part of the link 78, is inserted in the guide hole 67 in the rear part of the upper chassis 3. Further, a link 81 is attached at its rear end to the right rear end part of the upper chassis 3, and is provided at its front end with a guide pin 83 which is inserted in the guide hole 68b in the rear part of the loader 68. The links 78, 81 are rotatably coupled together at their center crossing parts by means of a pin 84. The above-mentioned loader shift mechanism C incorporates a first rack member 85 and a second rack member 86 which are laid along the loader guide 65, the second rack member 86 being slidably superposed with the rear part of the first rack member 85, and front and rear guide holes 88, 89 are formed in a rising wall part 87 of the second rack member 86, as shown in Fig. 9a. Further, guide pins 91, 92 are fixed to the front and rear end parts of a rising wall part 90 of the first rack member 85, the front guide pin 91 passing through the guide hole 88, and the rear guide pin 92 passing through the guide hole 89. The end parts of the guide pins 91, 92 are coupled to the right surface part 71 of the loader 68. Further, spring retainer 93 is formed in the rear end part of the first rack member 85, and a spring retainer 94 is formed in the front end part of the second rack member 86, and a spring 95 is provided bridging both said spring retainers 93, 94. Further, a gear 96 is meshed with a tooth part 86a of the second rack member 86, and is engaged with a drive motor (which is not shown) through the intermediary of a pinion gear train (which is not shown). The thus constructed upper chassis 3 is superposed with the main chassis 1 and is secured to the latter. In this case, the front and rear holder pin engaging parts 72, 73 provided on the right side of the loader 68 are slidably engaged with the holder pins 45a, 45b, and the holder pin engaging part 72 provided on the left side of the holder 68 is slidably engaged with the holder pin 42. Further, the front edge of the upper chassis 3 and the cartridge insertion part 4 of the main chassis 1 defines a cartridge insertion opening 98. Before insertion of the above-mentioned cartridge (which is the same as that mentioned in the explanation to the prior art) 100, the suspension chassis 2 is locked to the main chassis 1 by means of the left and right mechanical lock mechanisms A. That is, after the front lock member 8 in the mechanical lock mechanism A is moved forward, the lock part 10 at the front end of the lock member 9 grips the front lock pin 30 on the suspension chassis 2, and the lock part 11 at the front end of the lock member grips the rear lock pin 31 on the suspension chassis 2. Next, explanation will be made of the operation of the disc apparatus constructed as mentioned above. As shown in Fig. 6c, when the holder 43 is positioned on the cartridge insertion opening 98 side, the holding pin 51a also serving as the shutter closing spring releasing pin on the holder 42 is positioned in the front side so as to interfere with the intermediate part of the shutter closing spring 56, and accordingly, the engaging part at the front end of the shutter closing spring 56 is retracted from the opening part 54. Accordingly, when the cartridge 100 is inserted into the cartridge insertion part 58 in the holder 43 through the cartridge insertion opening 98, the engaging part 56b of the shutter closing spring 56 does not interfere with the cartridge 100, and accordingly, the feeling of insertion of the cartridge 100 becomes satisfactory, and further, the cartridge 100 is prevented from being scratched due to contact between itself and the engaging part 56b of the shutter closing spring 56. Further, after the cartridge 100 is inserted into the cartridge insertion part 58 of the holder 43 through the cartridge insertion opening 98, when the front end face of the cartridge 100 abuts against the cartridge receiving part 63 of the holder 43, the shutter locking and engaging pawl 55 of the shutter opener 49 is inserted into the groove 106 of the cartridge 100, and further, the left and right cartridge gripping hooks 46 of the holder 43 are engaged with the left and right cartridge gripping recesses 105 of the cartridge casing 101 so that the cartridge 100 is held in the holder 43 through the intermediary of the cartridge gripping hooks 46. Further, when the above-mentioned cartridge 100 is pushed in, a control circuit (which is not shown) for the drive motor in the loader shifting mechanism C is energized (turned on) so that the loader 68 is operated by the loader shifting mechanism C. Accordingly, the slide shutter of the cartridge 100 is opened, and the suspension chassis 2 is released from its locked condition while the cartridge 100 is automatically introduced. (Loader Operation) When the pinion is rotated by the drive motor, the gear 96 is rotated through the intermediary of the gear train, and accordingly, the second rack member 86 meshed with the gear 96 through the intermediary of the tooth part 86a is moved rearward. Thus, the guide pins 91, 92 are pushed by the front end parts of the guide holes 88, 89 formed in the second rack member 86, and accordingly, the loader 68 is moved rearward. In this case, in association with the movement of the loader 68, the rack member 85 is moved rearward. When the gear 96 comes to the front end of the tooth part 86a of the second rack member 86, the gear is meshed with the rear end part of the tooth part 85a of the first rack member 85. Further, when the gear 96 leaves off from the tooth part 86a of the second rack member 86, it meshes with only the tooth part 85a of the first rack member 85 which is therefore moved rearward.. This movement causes the loader 68 to move rearward by means of the guide pins 91, 92. Further, the rearward movement of the first rack member 85 causes the second rack member 86 to move rearward through the intermediary of the spring 95. (Release Operation of Slide Shutter 104 in Cartridge 100) Since the front and rear holder engaging parts 72, 73 which are provided on the right side of the loader 68 are slidably engaged with the holder pins 45a, 45b, and further, since the holder pin engaging part 72 which is provided on the left side of the loader 68 is slidably engaged with the holder pin 42, the rearward movement of the loader 68 causes the holder 43 to move rearward, that is, the cartridge 100 is moved rearward. Accordingly, the holder 42 is retracted so that the holding pin 51a comes off from the intermediate part of the shutter closing spring 56. Thus, the engaging part 56b at the front end of the shutter closing spring 56 is projected into the cartridge insertion part 58 through the opening 54. In this case, the stopper 57 at the rear end part of the shutter opener 49 makes contact with the stopper 60 provided on the suspension chassis 2, and accordingly, the shutter opener 49 is prevented from being moved rearwardly. The shutter locking and releasing pawl 55 of the shutter opener 49 pushes the shutter engaging member in the cartridge 100 so as to retract the same, and accordingly, the engagement of the slide shutter 104 with the shutter engaging member of the engaging pawl 107 is released. At this time, the engaging part 56b at the front end of the shutter closing spring 56 is engaged in the shutter opening and closing hole 108 in the slide shutter 104. Thus, the slider shutter 104 is opened as the cartridge 100 is moved rearward (refer to Figs. 6b to 6c). (Locking Operation of Suspension Chassis 2) When the holder 43 is moved rearward as the loader 68 is moved rearward, the locking engaging piece 74a of the lock pin engaging part 74 on the loader 68 is engaged with the actuating pin 25 of the lever 19 in the mechanical lock mechanism A as shown in Figs. 7a and 7b, and Figs. 8a, and 8b. Accordingly, the actuating pin 25 is guided upward so that the lever 19 is rotated clockwise as shown in Figs. 7c and 8d, and the front and rear lock members 8, 9 are therefore pulled inward. Thus, as shown in Fig. 8e, the front lock pin 30 on the suspension chassis 2 is released from the front lock part 10 of the lock member 8, and the rear lock pin 31 on the suspension chassis 2 is released from the lock part 10 at the front end of the lock member 8, and accordingly, the suspension chassis 2 is released from its locked condition. As a result, the suspension chassis 2 is supported by the spring at the four corner parts thereof. (Automatic Introduction of Cartridge 100) When the holder 43 is further moved rearward, the above-mentioned holder pins 42, 45a, 45b are lead into the descending holes 37, 39 40 in the left and right holder guide parts 34, 35 in the suspension chassis 2, being guided by the left and right holder guide parts 34, 35, and the hub of the turntable is engaged into a center (which is not shown) which is visible through a center hole formed in the lower surface of the cartridge 100. At this time, the holder pins 42, 45a, 45b come off from the holder pin engaging parts 72, 73, but the engaging pieces 72, 73, do not come off from the holder pins 42, 45a, 45b. In this condition, a control circuit (which is not shown) for the drive motor of the turntable is energized (turned on), and a control circuit (which is not shown) for the drive motor of the optical pick-up is energized (turned on) so that the data recording disc 102 is rotated while the optical pick-up is moved left and right (radially of the disc) by means of the screw feed mechanism for reproducing or recording. Next, after completion of reproducing or recording, the loader 68 is moved in a reverse direction so that the cartridge 100 is ejected, and the suspension chassis 2 is locked. (Reverse Movement of Loader 68) When the drive motor is reversed so as to reversely rotate the pinion, the gear 96 is reversely rotated through the intermediary of the gear train, and the first rack member 85 meshed with the gear 96 through the intermediary of the tooth part 85a is moved forward so that the loader 68 is moved forward by means of the guide pins 91, 92. When the gear 96 comes to the rear end of the tooth part 85a of the first rack member 85, the gear 96 is meshed with the tooth part 86a of the second rack member 86 ÷hich is therefore moved forward. The guide pins 91, 92 are pushed by the rear ends of the guide holes 88, 89 formed in the second rack member 86, and accordingly, the loader 68 is moved forward. (Ejecting Operation of the Cartridge 100) When the loader 68 is moved forward, the engaging pieces 72a, 73a of the front and rear holder pin engaging parts 72, 73 provided on the loader 68 push the holder pins 45a, 45b, 42 forward so that the holder 43 is moved forward, and accordingly, the cartridge 100 is moved forward. As the holder 43 is moved forward, the holder pins 43, 45a, 45b are returned into the linear guide holes 36, 38 from the descending holes 37, 39, 40, being guided by the left and right holder guide parts 34, 35 in the suspension chassis 2, and accordingly, the center of the cartridge 100 lifts off from the turntable, and is moved forward being guided by the left and right holder guide parts 34, 45. Thus, the cartridge is ejected from the cartridge insertion part 99 of the holder 43 toward the cartridge insertion opening 98. (Closing Operation of Slide Shutter 104 in Cartridge 100) Upon ejection of the cartridge 100, since the engaging part 56b at the front end part of the shutter closing spring 56 is engaged with the shutter opening and closing hole 108, the slide shutter 104 is closed as the holder 43 is moved forward. Further, the shutter locking and releasing pawl 55 of the shutter opener 49 is disengaged from the shutter engaging member in the cartridge 100 and is projected, and accordingly, the locking pawl 107 of the slide shutter 104 is engaged with the shutter engaging member. Further, the engaging part 56b at the front end of the shutter closing spring 56 comes off from the shutter opening and closing hole 108. (Lock Operation of the Suspension Chassis 2) Upon ejection of the cartridge 100, when the loader 68 is moved forward, the pin insertion recess 47b of the lock pin engaging part 74 on the loader 68 pushes, at its side surface, the actuating pin 25 on the lever 19 forward so as to depress the actuating pin 25, and accordingly, the lever 19 is rotated counterclockwise with the sequence in the order as shown in Figs. 8e, 8d, 8c, 8b, and 8a, so as to force the front and rear lock members 8, 9 to open outwardly. Accordingly, the lock part 10 at the front end of the front lock member 8 fixes the front lock pin 30 on the suspension chassis 2, and the lock part 11 at the front end of the rear lock member 9 fixes the rear lock pin 31 on the suspension chassis 2. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the loader 68 is moved in the conveying direction so as to move the cartridge 100 through the intermediary of the holder 43, and when the cartridge 100 comes to the reproducing/recording position, the lock pin engaging part 74 incorporated in the loader 68 interferes with the mechanical lock mechanism A which therefore releases the holder pins 30, 31 from the locked condition. Further, when the cartridge 100 is moved in the ejecting direction through the intermediary of the holder 43 during movement of the loader 68, the lock pin engaging part 74 interferes with the mechanical lock mechanism A which therefore locks the holder pins 30, 31. Further, according to the above-mentioned embodiment, when the gear 96 is rotated through the intermediary of the gear train, the second rack member 86 meshed with the gear 96 through the intermediary of the tooth part 86a is moved rearward, and the guide pins 91, 92 are pushed by the ends of the guide holes 88, 89 formed in the second rack member 86 so that the loader 68 is moved rearward. In this case, the first rack member 85 is moved rearward in association with the movement of the loader 68 (refer to Figs. 10a and 10b). When the gear 96 comes to one end part of the tooth part 86a of the second rack member 86, the gear 96 is meshed with the tooth part 85a of the first rack member 85. Further, when the gear 96 leaves off from the tooth part 86a of the second rack member 86, it is only meshed with the tooth part 85a of the first rack member 85 which is therefore moved rearward. This movement causes the guide pins 91, 92 to move the loader 68 rearward (refer to Figs. 10b and 10c). Thus, the gear 96 on rotation feeds the second rack member 86 which therefore moves the loader 68, and thereafter, the gear 96 does not feed the second rack member 86 but does the first rack member 85 so as to move the loader 86. With this arrangement, the required space for moving the loader 68 by the distance L can be made to be small by the length C of the second rack member 86, in comparison with the conventional apparatus in which the loader is fed by a single integral rack member by a length D (refer to Fig. 10c). Further, since the first and second rack members 85, 86 are coupled together by the spring 95, when an external force is exerted to the first rack member 85 or the loader 68 in a condition in which the gear 96 is meshed with the second rack member 86, the first rack member 85 is moved, causing only the spring 96 from being extended. That is, the external force is not transmitted to the drive gear train through the gear 96 thereby it is possible to prevent the gear 96 or the like from being damaged. As mentioned above, according the present invention, the first and second rack members are provided on the stationary chassis so as to be movable in the direction of movement of the loader, and the guide pins are provided to the first rack member while the guide holes are formed in the second rack member, the guide pins piercing through the guide holes and being coupled at their ends with the loader, spring retainers are provided on both rack members, the spring is provided bridging between both spring retainers, and the gear is meshed with the tooth part of the second rack member and is coupled to the drive gear train. With this arrangement, when the gear is rotated through the intermediary of the drive gear train, the second rack member meshed with the gear through the intermediary of its tooth part is moved in one of the directions of the ends of the guide holes formed in the second rack member so as to move the loader in one of the directions of movement of the loader. In this case, the first rack member is moved in the one of the directions of movement of the loader. When the gear comes to one end of the tooth part of the second rack member, the gear is meshed with the tooth part of the first rack member. Further, when the gear leaves off from the tooth part of the second rack member, the gear is meshed with only the tooth part of the first rack member so as to move the first rack member in one of the directions of movement of the loader. This movement causes the guide pins to move the loader in the one of the directions of movement of the loader. Thus, when the gear is rotated, the second rack member is fed to move the loader, and thereafter, the second rack member is not fed but the first rack member is fed so that the loader is moved. Accordingly, the require space can be made to be small in comparison with the conventional apparatus in which the loader is fed by a single integral rack member. Further, since first and second racks are coupled together by means of the spring, if an external force is exerted to the first rack member or the loader in a condition in which the gear is meshed with the second rack member, the first rack member is moved, only causing the spring to be extended. Accordingly, the external force is not transmitted to the drive gear train through the gear, thereby it is possible to prevent the gears of the like from being damaged.

Claims: A disc recording/reproducing apparatus comprising a stationary chassis (1); first and second rack members (85, 86) each having a tooth part (85a, 86a) and provided on said stationary chassis so as to be movable in a direction of movement of a loader (68); guide pins (91, 92) provided on said first rack member (85), guide holes (88, 89) formed in said second rack member (86), said guide pins passing through said guide holes and the first rack member (85) being coupled at one end to said loader (68); spring retainers (93, 94) provided respectively on said first and second rack members, a spring (95) bridging between said spring retainers; and a gear (96) coupled to a drive gear train, and in operation, successively meshing with the tooth parts (85a, 86a) of the first and second rack members (85, 86).

Inventors: NISHIDA HIROTO, OOKAWA EIICHI, SASAKI TOSHIAKI, SUZUKI TAKASHI, WATANABE HITOSHI, NISHIDA, HIROTO, OOKAWA, EIICHI, SASAKI, TOSHIAKI, SUZUKI, TAKASHI, WATANABE, HITOSHI
Applicants: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC IND CO LTD, MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: G11B17
IPC codes: G11B17